Just doing my part to exercise my rights in free speech (while they last)

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

While brown-nosing all Muslim extremists, Obama declares that those who disagree with him are a national security threat

The road to tyranny can be slow or quick. In this country, it's starting slow, but will undoubtedly gain momentum as the Messiah's first term continues. I don't even want to think about what will happen if this guy gets re-elected. However, I'd bet money that some congressperson after 2012 will probably think it's a swell idea if we got rid of those pesky presidential term-limits...

I have stated before that I believe this president will do anything to stay in power and that includes overstepping the boundaries of the Constitution. The bill for an expanded "youth corps" has essentially passed through Congress. Among other things in this bill, the youth corps also includes a shadowy "National Service Reserve Corps" whose only function is to deal with national emergencies or crisises (which is generally the territory of the National Guard).

"The DHS/Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A) has no specificinformation that domestic rightwing* terrorists are currently planning acts of violence,but rightwing extremists may be gaining new recruits by playing on their fears aboutseveral emergent issues. The economic downturn and the election of the firstAfrican American president present unique drivers for rightwing radicalization andrecruitment."

Now bear in mind that this Office has no actual evidence that anything will happen. Of course, Hitler and the Nazis kinda thought the same thing about the Jews. Although the report initially specifies white supremists and anti-government groups (probably militia), there is a disturbing footnote at the bottom of page 2 attached to these examples.

"Rightwing extremism in the United States can be broadly divided into those groups, movements, andadherents that are primarily hate-oriented (based on hatred of particular religious, racial or ethnic groups),and those that are mainly antigovernment, rejecting federal authority in favor of state or local authority, orrejecting government authority entirely. It may include groups and individuals that are dedicated to asingle issue, such as opposition to abortion or immigration."

Ok, I can understand the hate-oriented stuff, but antigovernment? So the idea that I'd like to see a reduced federal government suddenly makes me a terrorist? This is a key question because the note puts an "or" instead of an "and". You may be a terrorist if you are rejecting federal authority in favor of state or local authority OR rejecting government authority entirely. I love the last sentence. I admit that the abortion issue isn't really high on my list of priorities, but you're telling me that I can't say anything about an illegal immigration problem without being connected to terrorism? And the left said Bush Jr. was bad???

"Proposed imposition of firearms restrictions and weapons banslikely would attract new members into the ranks of rightwing extremist groups,as well as potentially spur some of them to begin planning and training forviolence against the government. The high volume of purchases andstockpiling of weapons and ammunition by rightwing extremists in anticipationof restrictions and bans in some parts of the country continue to be a primaryconcern to law enforcement."

Newsflash, people are buying tons of guns because they're afraid that Obama will eliminate the right to bear arms. They're also afraid that if the country does go south (literally and figuratively), they have some way of protecting themselves. So all of a sudden, these people are now right-wing extremists and terrorists.

"Returning veterans possess combat skills and experience that areattractive to rightwing extremists. DHS/I&A is concerned that rightwingextremists will attempt to recruit and radicalize returning veterans in order toboost their violent capabilities."

And of course since the military isn't particularly flipped about the Messiah, they're thrown into the mix as well. After all, when one who has served the country honorably through military service, he/she can look forward to being seen as a potential terrorist. Who said the left has reneged on their Vietnam-era hatred of the military? After all, they're just "baby-killers" waiting to overthrow the government, right? Of course, if you look at the fine print of the Obama Youth act, there are several references to wanting "veterans" in the NSRC. Kinda intriguing...

"DHS/I&A assesses that a number of economic and political factors aredriving a resurgence in rightwing extremist recruitment and radicalization activity.Despite similarities to the climate of the 1990s, the threat posed by lone wolves and smallterrorist cells is more pronounced than in past years. In addition, the historical election ofan African American president and the prospect of policy changes are proving to be adriving force for rightwing extremist recruitment and radicalization."

Now, is this "rightwing extremist recruitment" meaning (partly, of course) increased enrollment in the Republican Party? If so, I'm guilty as charged. I liked the touch about the "historical election" of an African American president. Did MSNBC write some of this report? The next paragraph is fun.

" A recent example of the potential violence associated with a rise in rightwingextremism may be found in the shooting deaths of three police officers inPittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on 4 April 2009. The alleged gunman’s reactionreportedly was influenced by his racist ideology and belief in antigovernmentconspiracy theories related to gun confiscations, citizen detention camps, and aJewish-controlled “one world government."

Ah yes, one incident and it's all a vast right-wing conspiracy. Of course, the report is strangely silent about the five cops who were killed by an African American in Oakland several days previously. I believe there was a march supporting the killer there. But apparently, the Chosen One missed that headline...

"Rightwing extremists were concerned during the 1990s with the perceptionthat illegal immigrants were taking away American jobs through their willingness towork at significantly lower wages. They also opposed free trade agreements, arguing thatthese arrangements resulted in Americans losing jobs to countries such as Mexico."

Wow, so not being flipped about illegal immigrants pouring over our southern border constitutes extremism? I guess I'm guilty as charged there. Do I hate Mexicans? Nope. Do I ask that they not turn this country into a Greater Mexico, with all of the problems inherent in their politics and society? Yes. Sorry, that's not racism.

"DHS/I&A notes that prominent civil rights organizations haveobserved an increase in anti-Hispanic crimes over the past five years.— (U) In April 2007, six militia members were arrested for various weapons andexplosives violations. Open source reporting alleged that those arrested haddiscussed and conducted surveillance for a machinegun attack on Hispanics.— (U) A militia member in Wyoming was arrested in February 2007 aftercommunicating his plans to travel to the Mexican border to kill immigrantscrossing into the United States."

Ok, while this is serious stuff, how about the Americans who are killed by Mexicans? They're saying it doesn't happen? There's incidents along the border virtually every day that most Americans don't even hear about. How about La Raza, whose Hispanic organization constantly calls for a militant takeover of the Southwest by their brethren? I hear crickets chirping...

" Rightwing extremist views bemoan the decline of U.S. stature andhave recently focused on themes such as the loss of U.S. manufacturing capabilityto China and India, Russia’s control of energy resources and use of these topressure other countries, and China’s investment in U.S. real estate andcorporations as a part of subversion strategy."

Well, tell me none of that is the truth. We have lost a large amount of manufacturing capability in this country. That's a reality that we'll have to deal with. Our unionized industries cannot compete against global competitors. I hardly think voicing that truth is "extremist." As far as Russia is concerned, I'm not as concerned about their energy sources as I am, say, the Middle East. Russia lives or dies on its energy industry. Right now, they're economy is crippled because of low oil prices. As for China, they are investing in real estate. They hold a royal shitload of our government and personal debt. If they decide to cash in, it would ruin us since we don't have the money to pay it back. We're sinking further and further into debt and sooner or later the party will end. That's not extremism, that's pragmatism.

Of course I "bemoan" a lack of American stature. Being a superpower has enabled us to live the good life for so many years. We don't have the luxury of Europe in having someone else to protect us while we live high on the hog. Our economic strength has enabled us (with backing of our military) to wield tremendous influence globally to the point where American culture is world reknown. The Department of Homeland Security seriously thinks that me voicing this absolute fact makes me an extremist? Hey Janet, listen up! Once we lose our superpower status, China will take over in that status, whether we like it or not! Simply putting your fingers in your ears and humming loudly does not change that fact one iota. Without our economic power, we will not influence anyone. And without economic power, we will not be able to field the type of powerful military that we've enjoyed for over 60 years. China will call the shots the way it wants to and I can guarantee you that we won't like some of those calls. It's not extremist, it's called the future. Get used to it. Yeah, it irritates me.

The rest of it deals with white supremist groups. While I have no love for those groups I do wonder why only they are being targeted. So, once again, only whites are capable of violent behavior? Everyone else is a victim. Newsflash, that attitude will unfortunately give these idiots more rhetorical ammunition to use to attract whites. To conclude, I sometimes wonder if the Obama administration is actually trying to provoke a response from some of these people.